Folding slicing machines



Oct. 3, 1961 wElNER 3,002,543

FOLDING SLICING MACHINES Filed Feb. 4, 1960 INVENTOR, HARRY WEINERIATTORNEY Fatented Oct. 3, 1961 3,002,543 FOLDING SLICING MACHINES HarryWeiner, Newburgh, N .Y., assignor to General Slicing Machine Co., Inc,Walden, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed F eh. 4, 1960, Ser. No.6,812 3 Claims. ((11.1.46-402) The present invention relates to portablefood slicing machines of the class having a slidably mounted carriage ontrack rods along which a food mass on'the carriage is transported to andfro past a cutting blade and more particularly to the type which can becompactly folded when not in use.

Heretofore, in folding slicing machines, it was common to have a base oftwo parts in hinged relation. One part carried the blade and its housingand a gage plate with :a means for regulating the position of said gageplate in relation to the plane of the blade so as to adjust for slicethickness. The other base part carried the track rods. To fold, saidsecond base part was swung upward a quarter turn. This produced anunstable structure because of the incident raising of the center ofgravity or compelling a rather heavy and high mass to be supported on arather narrow base when the machine was in folded condition. Then again,when feet or vacuum cups serving as feet were provided, six of them wererequired, id est, four for the base part on which the folding machinedid rest and two on the other base part which was swung upward from thesupporting surface on which the contrivance stood.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel andimproved folding slicing machine whose base is a unitary structure. Inuse or when folded, the whole machine will stand on its full base.

A further object thereof is toprovide a novel and improved foldingslicing machine in which the base supporting the machine is a rigidstructure.

Another object thereof is to provide a folding slicing machine of noveland improved construction, in which when folded, its center of gravityis lower than when in use condition.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improvedfolding slicing machine in which the cooperative means used .to securethe parts of the machine in proper positioned relation for bringing themachine into use condition, serve not only. to lock the parts in trueoperative relation, but act as stop means to establish such relation.

In folding slicing machine of the kind used heretofore, to fold, onebase part was swung up. Its resulting condition was rather unstable,because a slight movement of the swung-up part would make it fall.

It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a novel andimproved construction by which even an appreciable accidental movementof the swung part, will not bring the machine into use condition,because the accidentally moved part would automatically shift back sothat the machine again would assume its collapsed condition.

A further object thereof is to provide a novel and improved foldingslicing machine of the character described, having the attributesmentioned, which is reasonable in cost, easy to manipulate and which isefficient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosureproceeds.

For one practice of this invention, there is a unitary base framecomprising end members in spaced relation, supporting parallel trackrods which span them to one side of the middle of such assembly. Saidend members may have suction cups depending from them, one at each sideend thereof respectively. On an auxiliary base, to the side of andextending parallel to the track rods, substantially to the innersurfaces of said end members, there stands the blade housing with thecutting blade mounted thereon as usual, in advance of which housing isthe usual gage plate associated with a suitable means to change theposition of said plate; the planes of said blade and plate beingparallel to each other and to the track rods. Said auxiliary base andits appurtenances, I will refer to hereafter as the unitary swingablestructure, because same is swingably mounted on the frame structureaboutan axis whose line is parallel to the track rods and positionedsufficientlyabove the resting plane of the machine to permit saidunitary swingable structure to oscillate freely, but said axis line is.low enough so that when said unitary swingable structure is swung torest on at least one of the track rods which acts as a stop therefor,the plane of the blade shall be substantially horizontal. Suitable meansare provided to lock said unitary swingable structure into use positionon the unitary base frame, with provision that assure true relativeposition of all the parts of the machine as is necessary for usecondition.

In hand-operated machines, if the crank handle is not foldable, it isremovable. In many slicers made by one company, the food carriage isremovable. I contemplate in the machine I have chosen to explain thisinvention so as to make a compact package when the machine is collapsedto be put away. I will also set forth how the food carriage may remain.1 V

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of slicing machine.embodying the teachings of this invention. The machine here, is shown inuse condition.

PEG. 2 is a perspective view showing the unitary base frame structure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of what I call herein, the unitaryswingable structure, in the embodiment shown.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the machine of FIG. 1 in collapsedcondition; the operating handle and the food carriage having beenpreviously removed.

PEG. 5 shows a parts-positioning and locking screw employed in theembodiment illustrated.

In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates generally a food slicingmachine consisting of a unitary base. frame structure denoted generallyby the numeral 16 and a unitary swingable structure indicated generallyby the numeral 17. The base frame structure 16 comprises a pair ofspaced end members 18, 19, which to one side of middle, are spanned bythe track rods 20, 21 on which a food carriage 22 is slidably mounted.The swingable structure 17 comprises an elongated, comparatively narrowauxiliary base 23, which carries the knife housing 24 for the rotarydisc blade 25, and the slice regulator means 26 associated with the gageplate 27. Said swingable structure is swingably mounted on the framestructure about an axis line determined by the aligned axis pins 28,28'. The operating handle 29 can be screwed from off the drive shaft 30.It is preferred that the food carriage be detachable from off the trackrods 20, 21, as for instance of the types shown in the Gilbert et a1.Patent No. 2,807,301 of September 24, 1957, and in the allowed Gilbertpatent application, Serial No. 639,252, Patent No. 2,931,406, filedFebruary 11, 1957. The mounting of the swingable structure 17 on theaxis pins 28, 28 may be afforded by the angular brackets 31, 33 whichare secured to the ends of the auxiliary base member 23. The height ofthe axis line determined by the axis pins 28, 28, above the supportingsurface of the machine, determined by the common plane of the mouths ofthe vacuum cups as 14 3 which serve as feet on the base frame 16, shouldpermit the swingable structure 17 to swing so that blade 25 can liehorizontally or nearly so, over the track rods 20, 2] and yet low enoughthat the gate plate 27 shall come to rest on the track rods, or thecarriage platform 22, if the carriage is not removable.

The end members 18, 19 may be of any suitable perimetral form; theparticular one shown. being for appearance sake. As an example ofsuitable locking structure, the end member 19 has a key-hole shapedopening which in the embodiment illustrated may be the notch indicatedgenerally at 34; the enlargement 34' thereof, being towards the trackrods 20, 21. A headed, stepped locking screw denoted generally as 35,has its end shank portion 35' which is the smallest in diameter threadedand its tip engaged in a threaded hole 36 in the bracket 33. Suchthreaded portion is through the opening 34 and is laterally slidabletherein. When the intermediate shank part 35" is entered into theenlargement 34' of the key-hole notch and the screw 35 is tightened, theswingable structure 17 is securely fixed in position to and on the baseframe structure 16. so that the machine is in proper use condition; saidenlargement 34' being so located on the end member 19 to effect thiscondition when engaged by the screw part 35". If desired, aspring-biased detent 37 may be provided on the bracket 31 for engagementwith a slot 38 in the base end 18, to further sturdy the machine when inuse condition.

To place the machine from its use condition shown in FIG. 1, to foldedcondition shown in FIG. 4, if the carriage 22 is removable. detach it.Also remove the handle 29. Loosening the locking screw 35 and disengageat 37, whereupon the unitary swingable structure 17 is swung so that thegate plate 27 shall overlie and rest on t-e track rod it meets. How toreset to use condition is plainly evident without any furtherexplanation. If the carriage 22 is not of the removable type, thenremove its prong pusher member 32, then shift the carriage against theend member 18, so that in folding, the gage plate 27 will clear theupright wall of the carriage and said gage plate will come to rest atopthe food platform 22'. Of course dimensions are made to suit to give theclearance A and that the platform 22 may be very near the track rods 29.21.

In folding the machine, its center of gravity is lowered. The machine issupported by the full rigid base structure 16 standing on its four feet34 which encompass a considerable area, when it is in use condition andwhen it is in non-use folded condition. Accidental upward movement ofthe unitary swingable structure 17 up to a considerable extent from itsfolded condition and then let go, will only cause it to fall back again.In previous structures, accidental shift of some, but comparativelyslight extent, would cause the machine to become fully open. Where thebase is foldable as has been common heretofore, six legs were necessaryif legs were included. In the machine set forth herein, only four arerequired. Also heretofore, where the base was foldable, the base areaencompassed by the folded machine was but a fraction of that encompassedwhen in use condition, and coupled with the fact that when in foldedcondition, its center of gravity remained in constant position or wasraised, any accidental movement would unbalance it or undo the fold. Allthese objectionable features have been avoided by my present invention.

Without further pictorial illustration, it is readily understandablethat the teaching of this invention is applicable to powered machines ofthis class.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applicationswithout departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It istherefore intended and desired that the embodiment shown herein shall bedeemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shallcover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had tothe following claims rather than to the specific showing and descriptionherein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a portable food slicing machine, a first unitary structurecomprising an elongated, comparatively narrow auxiliary base member, acutting blade supported for movement at a predetermined position atopsaid auxiliary base member and a gage plate mounted atop said auxiliarybase member in advance of said blade, a main rigid unitary comparativelywide base frame structure presenting a track member along said auxiliarybase member, for supporting a food carriage for slidable movementtherealong, to and fro past the cutting edge of said blade; said firstunitary structure being swingably mounted on said main base framestructure about an axis parallel to the line of said track member anddirectly above said auxiliary base member; the center of gravity of saidswingable structure, being always within and over the confines of saidmain base structure; the planes. of said blade and gage plate beingupright and parallel to each other and to said track member, meansreleasably securing said swingable structure against swinging movement;said swingable structure when released, being capable of being swung toa position Where said blade and gage plate lie substantiallyhorizontally over at least the major part of said main base framestructure and means on said main base frame structure for supportingsaid swingable structure when it is so swung; such supporting meansbeing at a region away from saidauxiliary base member.

2. A slicing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the mentionedsecuring means also serves to locate said swingable structure at itsproper upright position in relation to the base frame structure, inwhich position said swingable structure is to be secured againstswinging movement.

3. A slicing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the main base framestructure includes two end members; said track member spanning such endmembers and wherein the auxiliary base member includes two end brackets;said end members and brackets extending upwardly; the pivotalconnections for the swingable structure being at the upper ends of saidend members and brackets and wherein the releasably securing means isprovided by having a threaded hole through one of said brackets and anotch in the adjacent end member of the main base frame structure; saidbrackets being between said end members and including a three-steppedscrew, having the end shank portion thereof, threaded and engaged insaid threaded hole; said notch being enlarged at its closed end andextending in the direction away from the blade and towards the trackmember; the intermediate shank portion of said screw being in slide fitin said enlarged part of said notch; said enlarged notch part being sopositioned that when said screw shank part is entered therein, theswingable structure will be in proper upright position on the base framestructure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

